The only thing in Colin Mulligan’s life that makes sense is taking cars apart and putting them back together. In the auto shop where he works with his father and brothers, he tries to get through the day without having a panic attack or flying into a rage. Drinking helps. So do running and lifting weights until he can hardly stand. But none of it can change the fact that he’s gay, a secret he has kept from everyone.

Rafael Guerrera has found ways to live with the past he’s ashamed of. He’s dedicated his life to social justice work and to helping youth who, like him, had very little growing up. He has no time for love. Hell, he barely has time for himself. Somehow, everything about miserable, self-destructive Colin cries out to him. But down that path lie the troubles Rafe has worked so hard to leave behind. And as their relationship intensifies, Rafe and Colin are forced to dredge up secrets that both men would prefer stay buried.

| Book Review |

I’m just going to throw this out there – if you’re looking for a lovey, fluffy read to while away the afternoon, keep on walking. Out of Nowhere was a heavy read. Like, tying cement blocks to your ankles and jumping into a river heavy. It was tough being in Colin’s head, but it was worth every second I spent there.

I’m not sure I’ve ever read a character whose self-loathing can compare to Colin’s. This is a man who hates himself and is determined to lash out; absolutely nobody is off limits. While this was incredibly exhausting, I do like that he spent so much time reflecting on how he’d treated specifically his younger brother, Daniel, an out gay man. I think it demonstrated that no matter how he saw himself, there was some good inside of him. He might have treated people like shit, but it was nothing he reveled in. He was constantly beating himself up over it. But at this point in his life, he was in a very bad space. Rafe is a nice balance to Colin. He’s not necessarily easy going, but he is very patient with Colin, and I’m surprised Rafe stuck around for as long as he did. While their friendship got off to a good start, it wasn’t long before Colin lashed out at Rafe. But Rafe was a perceptive man, and he was drawn to something in Colin. I loved Rafe; he was so kind and compassionate. He had a shady past, but as a boyfriend, he almost seems too good to be true at times. But Rafe was in it for the long haul, and he was such a good friend to Colin. I loved when things came full circle and Colin was finally able to return the gesture and be there for Rafe. Obviously Rafe needed that, but I think Colin having someone who needed him went a long way toward him finally being able to move on and let things go.

There were some fantastic secondary characters in this one: Colin’s cat, who loved everyone but him, Rafe’s ‘kids’ at the YA alliance (they were freaking hilarious, heartbreaking, and so damn perceptive,) and Rafe’s and Colin’s families. I loved them all; I think they were so essential in letting us know exactly who Rafe and Colin were, and why Colin, especially, had such a tough time dealing with things.

Daniel was mentioned a lot in this one, and a constant bone of contention for Colin in his head. It’s the first in the series, and while this book has sparked my interest for Daniel and made me want to read about him, I’m a huge fan of the mystery that surrounds him in this book. It almost makes me glad I’m reading them out of order.

The epilogue in this one was a little iffy for me. For one, I didn’t feel it was essential to the story, and for two, there were two characters mentioned that seemed like an obvious plug for the next book in the series. Sure enough, when I checked it out, they were featured in the next book. I don’t think the author needed to do this, as the writing in this one was stellar enough to make me want to come back for more.

As I listened to the audio of this one, I feel it’s important to talk about the narrator. I really liked his voice, but his presentation threw me a bit at first. He paused often, and in odd places. However, he grew on me, and after a while, I began to see it as an indication of Colin’s character and his insecurity. While I usually bump my audio speed up to 1.25x, I had to bump this one up to 1.5x to really enjoy it. But that is not an issue for me. I like that I have the option to change the speed to fit my listening tastes.

I thought this book was amazing, and I cannot wait to devour the rest of this series. My first read from Roan Parrish was a definite hit!

7 thoughts on “Audiobook Review | Out of Nowhere by Roan Parrish”

Surprisingly the thing that intrigues me the most is the cat and kids. I love books that take time to develop great side characters. I feel like having a good side character makes the main characters even more rounded. I may have to try this one.

I think the secondary characters tell us a great deal about the main character. Who they surround themselves with – is it someone who builds them up or tears them down? Someone who gives or someone who takes? It tells us a lot about there they are mentally and emotionally. This was a wonderful read. And yeah, the side story with the cat was so precious.

I have to be in the right frame of mind to appreciate tougher stories like this when a character is hurting and lashing out or falling apart, but I do appreciate them a lot when that character heals and grows. I’ve always wanted to try this one since I saw it. Nice review, Angie.

Love that with audio stories we can change the speed. I set mine a little fast, too.

Yes, this one packed an emotional punch that you really have to be in the mood for. I was in the mood for it, I just didn’t know it because I wasn’t aware it was so angsty. But I am really looking forward to the rest of this series.